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One on One with PTC
Police Transport Command making a difference
We talk ‘One on One’ with Police Transport Command’s (PTC)
Assistant Commissioner Max Mitchell APM to find out how
one of the newer formed Commands operates.
What is the main role of the Police Transport Command (PTC)?
The Police Transport Command was established in May, 2012
to improve safety and security on the public transport system
of the greater metropolitan basin of Sydney, the Illawarra,
Central Coast, Newcastle and Hunter Region. The public
transport network includes rail, buses, ferries and light rail.
How does the Command assess crime trends / changing
demographics and adapt where needed?
The Command Office has a Joint Transport Intelligence Group
(JTIG) comprising of Police Officers and staff from Sydney
Trains working side by side to analyse significant crime trends
and make recommendations to the Assistant Commissioner
and Sector Commanders.
The Command Office also has an Operations Coordinator and
Planning Unit that facilitate operations that cross borders
and require a whole of command approach. This team also
coordinates the PTC response to major NSWPF operations
such as NYE, Australia Day, Mardi Gras and ANZAC Day to
name a few.
Additionally, each Sector has a Crime Coordinator, a small
Intelligence Unit as well as Field Intelligence Officers who
provide local analysis of local crime issues impacting on their
Sector/Satellite. Police are deployed as a result of this analysis
through a tasking and deployment process. Operations
Coordinators within the Sectors also work with the Inspectors
and Superintendent in planning and executing local operations
to combat crime issues, often working with Local Area
Commands to lead and support local crime issues.
Are there any challenges or issues that PTC is currently facing?
The biggest challenge for the Command has been to reach its
target of 610 officers, which was achieved in December, 2013
and under budget.
The Command has achieved some outstanding results in
terms of crime rates. All categories of crime rates that the
PTC report on are in a downward trend with the exception of
Malicious Damage. The challenge is to keep these crime rates
low and at the same time ensure our proactivity levels remain
consistent across the Command.
What are the daily actives of a PTC Officer?
The daily activities of a PTC officer include high visibility
policing patrols of trains, light rail, buses and ferries, as well
as major transport hubs. The activities are predominantly
proactive policing, meaning Police can target known and
problematic areas as well as participating in regular proactive
operations such as deployment of drug dogs, targeting anti-
social behaviour as well as drug and alcohol related crime.
Daily activities also include engaging with the community,
particularly during the heightened terrorist threat where high
visibility policing to reassure the commuting public was an
absolute priority.
Daily activities can also include deployment of trained officers
on bicycles, undertaking operational support group duties,
as well as those officers within the Command who regularly
undertake activities in plain clothes.
The PTC has the ability to deploy across a wide area, including
regular deployments to regional NSW to support country
commands.
What areas of speciality are PTC Officer’s trained in and why?
Training opportunities for officers in the PTC is a priority. The
vision for officers in the Command has always been that they
are trained to a higher standard that the average Police Officer.
Our Operational Support Group (OSG) recently undertook
water-borne training with the Marine Area Command, along
with being deployed to Brisbane for the G20 Summit.
Training in counter terrorism and emergency management is
also a priority, with staff provided more opportunities in these
fields than most other Commands.
Training opportunities to Sergeants and the members of the
senior management team are also important. A number of
Sergeants recently graduated from a Certificate IV in Frontline
Management and a number of Inspectors and Commanders
are about to undertake a Diploma in Project Management.
What career pathways can the PTC offer emerging officers?
The Police Transport Command has a range of opportunities
for their staff. Each sector has a Transport Action Group
(TAG) comprising of two Sergeants and sixteen Constables
that undertake plain clothes duties. The Police Transport
Command also has its own Bicycle Unit capability as well as
an Operational Support Group (OSG) capability across the
command. There are opportunities for Police to undertake
Intelligence and Planning roles, as well as uniform operatives
which are the backbone of the Command.
How does the PTC make a difference?
The Police Transport Command has made an enormous
difference to policing the transport network since its inception
three (3) years ago. Over 7,300 arrests have been made with
almost 14,000 charges laid against offenders. Over 143,000
infringements have been issued.
Transport for NSW have had some of their best ever Customer
Service survey data, much of which can be attributed to the
work of the PTC.
Crime trends across the transport network are declining,
which makes me very proud of the efforts of the men and
women of the Police Transport Command.